After two movies packed to the rafters with AAA stars and tons of CG-made travelogue locales, A HAUNTING IN VENICE ('23, THEATER) switches gears and becomes a horror chamber drama/whodunit with mostly character actors (except for Tina Fey and Michelle Yeoh) during one stormy night. Since Kenneth Branagh's portrayal of Hercule Poirot has always been this Ridley Scott-produced, Branagh-directed franchise's ace in the hole the changes to the formula are all mostly for the better, not to mention they save the production a ton of money. I swear that little Jude Hill (whom Branagh directed in 2021's "Belfast") is doing a dead-on impersonation of Haley Joel Osmond's kid in "The Sixth Sense," and a handful of times the choices in sound/shaky cam by director Branagh genuinely startled me. Alas, Tina Fey's competitive writer's chemistry with Poirot are the highlight of a mellow flick that truly feels like the end of summer and the start of Fall movie season.
Art Linson's WHERE THE BUFFALO ROAM (1980, PRIME) traumatized me as a 10-year-old Salvadorean kid (seeing it on TV) who had no idea who Hunter S. Thompson was, that movies could be about nothing, have no narrative structure of even a likable protagonist. A rewatch on VHS rental in the 90's didn't help any, but a rewatch last Wednesday with the folks at Jury Room 4.0 confirmed for me at 50 what I knew at 10: this movie's crap. Except for a handful of gags (Rene Auberjonois losing his shit, Bruno Kirby losing his patience) and Peter Boyle's Lazlo (the only character that seems to exist to have a purpose) "WTBR" is scattershot nonsense that not even a committed performance by Bill Murray (doing a Thompson impersonation rather than his usual shtick) can sustain, let alone save. Fun watchalong with online friends, but a terrible movie. :'(
RAID ON THE LETHAL ZONE (2023, THEATER) is China's answer to the 'What would happen if we combine "Hard Rain" and "Hurricane Heist" intro a pro-military propaganda action flick' nobody asked for. Set during torrential floods in 1998, Yunnan's Battalion 8077 and a drug task force must intercept a drug shipment that intel informs them will be moved and stolen by a rival gang of drug traffickers before making its way to the mainland. Needless to say, nothing goes according to plan... to the grief of the 8077's civilian families gathered to celebrate the battalion's 10th anniversary. While the shoot-outs and action set-pieces are OK the CG-generated scenes of natural disasters are the showstoppers. From forests floodings and mountains collapsing to a car chase through an abandoned city with water chasing after both vehicles (a scene so preposterous it's amazing!), "Raid on the Lethal Zone" is a wet action fan's dream if you can tolerate the thick-as-molasses propaganda. Worth seeing.
Walked into ARISTOTLE AND DANTE DISCOVER THE SECRETS OF THE UNIVERSE (2023, THEATER) not knowing anything about it. The name gave me expectations of a kid's sci-fi adventure. Turns out the only thing sci-fi about this 1987/88 El Paso-set, PG-13 'coming out' teenage gay romance flick of two Mexican-American kids are the too-nice-and-understanding parents (including Eva Longoria and Eugenio Derbez in choice roles they gave themselves as producers). Harmless, predictable (gay bashing) and a little slow, but inoffensive and well-meaning.
Rewatched George A. Romero's DAY OF THE DEAD (1985, HULU) in HD with subtitles (not available on the Anchor Bay DVD). This is basically the unofficial start of the "Walking Dead" franchise. From Greg Nicotero's involvement (including his head making a nice gore gag in Frankenstein's lab) to the lack of human beings worth relating/liking (even the good guys aren't as relatable as the survivors in "Night of the Living Dead" and "Dawn of the Dead"), this movie is the "Walking Dead" in a nutshell. Still a cool horror movie (Bob rulez!) but an unlikely inspiration for a much worse, much abused pop culture concept that's been creatively drained to death. :-(
I got as far as "'What would happen if we combine "Hard Rain" and "Hurricane Heist" " and was Yes Yes Yes! Then I read the rest, and it sounds awesome. I don't think it's playing in the theatre here, but I'm going to check it when it's released on VOD.
Over the past few years, the Big Lots store near me has stocked many recent Chinese films (mainly Well Go releases) at cheap prices. I have picked up several of them but so far have only watched a few. Zhang Yimou's SHADOW has been my favorite so far, very convoluted but visually engaging. Yes, they can get very political.
Hello everyone! On Labour Day, my son and I had a bit of a movie marathon. The idea started when he asked me to watch Gladiator (2000, dir. Ridley Scott) which I had been trying to show my kids for a while now. I think a clip from it had been showing up in his Tik Tac videos, which is a weird way to get motivated to watch a great movie. We loved it! Next we watched Legally Blonde (2001, dir. Robert Luketic) which I love! It’s the barbie of it’s time. Although some things are a little dated, like the portrayal of the gay man. My son liked it, but I could tell he wasn’t super enthusiastic. I wanted to re-watch it because the Unspooled podcast was covering it. I love that podcast, and Amy Nicholson is one of my favourite critics. She has some weird options, but always backs them up thoughtfully. We hadn’t planned this marathon at all, other than starting with Galdiator, and we just defaulted to comedies. Next we decided to throw on Blockers (2018, dir. Kay Cannon) which I had seen before. It was hilarious, and my son loved it. I think Ike Barinholtz is one of the funniest people working. I let my son decide the final movie, and he chose Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (2017, dir. Jake Kasdan) which is a pretty great movie. We had both already seen it in theatres and a couple other of times. I had originally anticipated our marathon would go down a wormhole of westerns and ‘70s sci-fi, but I was glad to let him pick a movie he loved. AND, I finally got to show him Gladiator.
Some other movies I’ve seen. I watched Heaven and Earth (1993, dir. Oliver Stone). I had been wanting to watch this to complete his “Vietnam Trilogy” but it was badly regarded by critics and audiences. I don’t know why, because I thought it was super poignant and well done. It was refreshing to see the war portrayed not only from the Vietnamese side, but from the viewpoint of an ordinary non-military woman (the actress was amazing in her role). There’s a few hard to watch bits in the first hours, and I like how restrained Stone was with directorial flourishes, and opted instead to let the story tell itself. The only real criticism I have is how fast Tommy Lee Jones character and the protagonist fall in love. It was nearly instantaneous, and the movie didn’t really earn it. It was just absolutely beautifully shot too (Robert Richardson was the DP). My go to “war movie podcast”, Friendly Fire also loved it, which I was happy to hear. I was expecting them to be disappointed, as that seems to be the general consensus on this movie.
I watched Rogue (2020) with Megan Fox. I liked some bits of it, but the terrible CGI tigers looked like they were out of a N64 game. Fox was pretty good though in her role, as usual.
Thanks for the kind words Paul. 🥰 You and your kid go ahead and watch all the movies you want... except the ones that look like N64 games, because YIKES!!! 😱😳😛
A HAUNTING IN VENICE (2023) Yes, it's horror-lite and mystery-lite, but I'd say that's intentional. Like the last two, it's a throwback to old-school Hollywood. Branaugh is clearly having a great time making these, and that enthusiasm comes off on screen.
BOTTOMS (2023) A wonderfully wacky movie. I can see this being a cult/midnight movie sensation in the future. Rachel Sennott is an unstoppable force of nature.
WHERE THE BUFFALO ROAM (1980) What an oddity. Bewildering, yet funny at times. I'm glad I saw it, if nothing else.
ERASERHEAD (1977) David Lynch goodness!
CASABLANCA (1942) Something something hill of beans something.
THE LITTLE MERMAID (2023) Finally saw this. A mixed bag. Halle Bailey is terrific. The songs, both the new ones and the remixed classics, are also great. But they needed to go back to the drawing board on these designs for Sebatian, Flounder, and Scuttle. They're nightmare creatures!
Agree, Mac. CG creatures in new "Little Mermaid" versus personality-filled hand-drawn characters? No contest. That said, l prefer the live action Javier Bardem king versus the 2D version. That goodbye between Ariel and her father at the end had me balling, and it was Bardem and Bailey acting that sold it. An unnecessary remake (they all are) but not a bad movie or one without its charms (Caribbean culture). Worth a 4K upgrade when the discs are cheap. 🙃🙂
Continuing to work through my Netflix queue this week while having an enjoyable night at the drive-in. This was the first week of noticeably cooler temperature at night, so I had to bundle up with layers. I do not mind doing it.
THE KEY (1983, dir. Tinto Brass) – Though he had made films of an e-r-o-t-i-c nature before, The Key is the beginning of Brass’ long run of soft-core dramas. It has all the stylistic elements of this period of his career. Based on a Japanese novel and set in Venice at the beginning of World War II, the story focuses on the intimate life of an art professor and his wife. Using diaries to communicate their desires to each other, they enter an exploratory phase of their sexual life. The leads carry the film very well, and there are plenty of Venetian sites to appreciate. Despite being among Brass’ better films, the over-reliance on voice-over narration takes The Key down below others I have watched.
BULLET IN THE HEAD (1990, dir. John Woo) at the Mahoning Drive-In – Woo made a Vietnam War film? Bullet In The Head follows three friends in trouble with the law in late 1960s Hong Kong. As they embark on what seems like a straightforward smuggling operation to Saigon, everything goes wrong. Things get crazy even before the three find themselves struggling to survive in the middle of a combat zone. The action is vintage John Woo and on a big scale. The amazing pyrotechnics alone would make the film worth watching, but there is a lot more than that to recommend it. At the heart of everything is the bond the men have to help them get through one horrific situation after another. It is a surprisingly grueling viewing experience. The concluding set-piece appropriately tops off a film full of impressive action set-pieces.
Talking about a grueling viewing experience, I finally finished Masaki Kobayashi’s epic THE HUMAN CONDITION. Parts 5 and 6, released in 1961, have Koji and his military comrades undergoing an ordeal of survival as the Japanese crumble under a Soviet attack on Manchuria. Starvation, despair, and death stalk Japanese soldier and civilian alike as they attempt to flee to some kind of refuge. The trouble is that there is none to be found by August 1945. Getting through the nearly 10 hours of The Human Condition was not easy, but I am glad that I did. Kobayashi’s artistry makes it worthwhile.
Congratulations on making it through The Human Condition! I remember you saying it was on of your goals a few months ago. I think it's something I would appreciate, perhaps after I finally get around to War and Peace.
Howdy crew! thanks y'all for your weekend reviewage..i always appreciate it!!!
We Were Soldiers (2002 DVD).
Incredibly immersive and well made movie about one of the first US active combat moments of the Vietnam war. It treats the subject seriously, and provides insights into not only the soldiers training and fighting but also aspects of the effects on their families as well as providing the point of view and perspective of the Vietnamese they fight. After establishing the core division and its respective families, the movie drops the viewer and said division into the jungle..surrounded on all sides..and stays with it for the last 2/3 of the movie. Its very violent and very chaotic and shows how dedicated the soldiers are too each other. Also, given the time its made, its filmed using almost entirely practical effects which comes across as incredibly realistic.
'Goooood morning Vietnam!' :-D
ReplyDeleteAfter two movies packed to the rafters with AAA stars and tons of CG-made travelogue locales, A HAUNTING IN VENICE ('23, THEATER) switches gears and becomes a horror chamber drama/whodunit with mostly character actors (except for Tina Fey and Michelle Yeoh) during one stormy night. Since Kenneth Branagh's portrayal of Hercule Poirot has always been this Ridley Scott-produced, Branagh-directed franchise's ace in the hole the changes to the formula are all mostly for the better, not to mention they save the production a ton of money. I swear that little Jude Hill (whom Branagh directed in 2021's "Belfast") is doing a dead-on impersonation of Haley Joel Osmond's kid in "The Sixth Sense," and a handful of times the choices in sound/shaky cam by director Branagh genuinely startled me. Alas, Tina Fey's competitive writer's chemistry with Poirot are the highlight of a mellow flick that truly feels like the end of summer and the start of Fall movie season.
Art Linson's WHERE THE BUFFALO ROAM (1980, PRIME) traumatized me as a 10-year-old Salvadorean kid (seeing it on TV) who had no idea who Hunter S. Thompson was, that movies could be about nothing, have no narrative structure of even a likable protagonist. A rewatch on VHS rental in the 90's didn't help any, but a rewatch last Wednesday with the folks at Jury Room 4.0 confirmed for me at 50 what I knew at 10: this movie's crap. Except for a handful of gags (Rene Auberjonois losing his shit, Bruno Kirby losing his patience) and Peter Boyle's Lazlo (the only character that seems to exist to have a purpose) "WTBR" is scattershot nonsense that not even a committed performance by Bill Murray (doing a Thompson impersonation rather than his usual shtick) can sustain, let alone save. Fun watchalong with online friends, but a terrible movie. :'(
RAID ON THE LETHAL ZONE (2023, THEATER) is China's answer to the 'What would happen if we combine "Hard Rain" and "Hurricane Heist" intro a pro-military propaganda action flick' nobody asked for. Set during torrential floods in 1998, Yunnan's Battalion 8077 and a drug task force must intercept a drug shipment that intel informs them will be moved and stolen by a rival gang of drug traffickers before making its way to the mainland. Needless to say, nothing goes according to plan... to the grief of the 8077's civilian families gathered to celebrate the battalion's 10th anniversary. While the shoot-outs and action set-pieces are OK the CG-generated scenes of natural disasters are the showstoppers. From forests floodings and mountains collapsing to a car chase through an abandoned city with water chasing after both vehicles (a scene so preposterous it's amazing!), "Raid on the Lethal Zone" is a wet action fan's dream if you can tolerate the thick-as-molasses propaganda. Worth seeing.
Walked into ARISTOTLE AND DANTE DISCOVER THE SECRETS OF THE UNIVERSE (2023, THEATER) not knowing anything about it. The name gave me expectations of a kid's sci-fi adventure. Turns out the only thing sci-fi about this 1987/88 El Paso-set, PG-13 'coming out' teenage gay romance flick of two Mexican-American kids are the too-nice-and-understanding parents (including Eva Longoria and Eugenio Derbez in choice roles they gave themselves as producers). Harmless, predictable (gay bashing) and a little slow, but inoffensive and well-meaning.
Rewatched George A. Romero's DAY OF THE DEAD (1985, HULU) in HD with subtitles (not available on the Anchor Bay DVD). This is basically the unofficial start of the "Walking Dead" franchise. From Greg Nicotero's involvement (including his head making a nice gore gag in Frankenstein's lab) to the lack of human beings worth relating/liking (even the good guys aren't as relatable as the survivors in "Night of the Living Dead" and "Dawn of the Dead"), this movie is the "Walking Dead" in a nutshell. Still a cool horror movie (Bob rulez!) but an unlikely inspiration for a much worse, much abused pop culture concept that's been creatively drained to death. :-(
I got as far as "'What would happen if we combine "Hard Rain" and "Hurricane Heist" " and was Yes Yes Yes! Then I read the rest, and it sounds awesome. I don't think it's playing in the theatre here, but I'm going to check it when it's released on VOD.
DeleteOver the past few years, the Big Lots store near me has stocked many recent Chinese films (mainly Well Go releases) at cheap prices. I have picked up several of them but so far have only watched a few. Zhang Yimou's SHADOW has been my favorite so far, very convoluted but visually engaging. Yes, they can get very political.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteHello everyone! On Labour Day, my son and I had a bit of a movie marathon. The idea started when he asked me to watch Gladiator (2000, dir. Ridley Scott) which I had been trying to show my kids for a while now. I think a clip from it had been showing up in his Tik Tac videos, which is a weird way to get motivated to watch a great movie. We loved it!
ReplyDeleteNext we watched Legally Blonde (2001, dir. Robert Luketic) which I love! It’s the barbie of it’s time. Although some things are a little dated, like the portrayal of the gay man. My son liked it, but I could tell he wasn’t super enthusiastic. I wanted to re-watch it because the Unspooled podcast was covering it. I love that podcast, and Amy Nicholson is one of my favourite critics. She has some weird options, but always backs them up thoughtfully.
We hadn’t planned this marathon at all, other than starting with Galdiator, and we just defaulted to comedies. Next we decided to throw on Blockers (2018, dir. Kay Cannon) which I had seen before. It was hilarious, and my son loved it. I think Ike Barinholtz is one of the funniest people working.
I let my son decide the final movie, and he chose Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (2017, dir. Jake Kasdan) which is a pretty great movie. We had both already seen it in theatres and a couple other of times. I had originally anticipated our marathon would go down a wormhole of westerns and ‘70s sci-fi, but I was glad to let him pick a movie he loved. AND, I finally got to show him Gladiator.
Some other movies I’ve seen. I watched Heaven and Earth (1993, dir. Oliver Stone). I had been wanting to watch this to complete his “Vietnam Trilogy” but it was badly regarded by critics and audiences. I don’t know why, because I thought it was super poignant and well done. It was refreshing to see the war portrayed not only from the Vietnamese side, but from the viewpoint of an ordinary non-military woman (the actress was amazing in her role). There’s a few hard to watch bits in the first hours, and I like how restrained Stone was with directorial flourishes, and opted instead to let the story tell itself. The only real criticism I have is how fast Tommy Lee Jones character and the protagonist fall in love. It was nearly instantaneous, and the movie didn’t really earn it. It was just absolutely beautifully shot too (Robert Richardson was the DP). My go to “war movie podcast”, Friendly Fire also loved it, which I was happy to hear. I was expecting them to be disappointed, as that seems to be the general consensus on this movie.
DeleteI watched Rogue (2020) with Megan Fox. I liked some bits of it, but the terrible CGI tigers looked like they were out of a N64 game. Fox was pretty good though in her role, as usual.
DeleteThanks for the kind words Paul. 🥰 You and your kid go ahead and watch all the movies you want... except the ones that look like N64 games, because YIKES!!! 😱😳😛
DeleteWhen I saw Barbie at a drive-in this summer, it was paired with Legally Blonde. It is a very appropriate double feature.
DeleteA HAUNTING IN VENICE (2023) Yes, it's horror-lite and mystery-lite, but I'd say that's intentional. Like the last two, it's a throwback to old-school Hollywood. Branaugh is clearly having a great time making these, and that enthusiasm comes off on screen.
ReplyDeleteBOTTOMS (2023) A wonderfully wacky movie. I can see this being a cult/midnight movie sensation in the future. Rachel Sennott is an unstoppable force of nature.
WHERE THE BUFFALO ROAM (1980) What an oddity. Bewildering, yet funny at times. I'm glad I saw it, if nothing else.
ERASERHEAD (1977) David Lynch goodness!
CASABLANCA (1942) Something something hill of beans something.
THE LITTLE MERMAID (2023) Finally saw this. A mixed bag. Halle Bailey is terrific. The songs, both the new ones and the remixed classics, are also great. But they needed to go back to the drawing board on these designs for Sebatian, Flounder, and Scuttle. They're nightmare creatures!
Agree, Mac. CG creatures in new "Little Mermaid" versus personality-filled hand-drawn characters? No contest. That said, l prefer the live action Javier Bardem king versus the 2D version. That goodbye between Ariel and her father at the end had me balling, and it was Bardem and Bailey acting that sold it. An unnecessary remake (they all are) but not a bad movie or one without its charms (Caribbean culture). Worth a 4K upgrade when the discs are cheap. 🙃🙂
DeleteContinuing to work through my Netflix queue this week while having an enjoyable night at the drive-in. This was the first week of noticeably cooler temperature at night, so I had to bundle up with layers. I do not mind doing it.
ReplyDeleteTHE KEY (1983, dir. Tinto Brass) – Though he had made films of an e-r-o-t-i-c nature before, The Key is the beginning of Brass’ long run of soft-core dramas. It has all the stylistic elements of this period of his career. Based on a Japanese novel and set in Venice at the beginning of World War II, the story focuses on the intimate life of an art professor and his wife. Using diaries to communicate their desires to each other, they enter an exploratory phase of their sexual life. The leads carry the film very well, and there are plenty of Venetian sites to appreciate. Despite being among Brass’ better films, the over-reliance on voice-over narration takes The Key down below others I have watched.
BULLET IN THE HEAD (1990, dir. John Woo) at the Mahoning Drive-In – Woo made a Vietnam War film? Bullet In The Head follows three friends in trouble with the law in late 1960s Hong Kong. As they embark on what seems like a straightforward smuggling operation to Saigon, everything goes wrong. Things get crazy even before the three find themselves struggling to survive in the middle of a combat zone. The action is vintage John Woo and on a big scale. The amazing pyrotechnics alone would make the film worth watching, but there is a lot more than that to recommend it. At the heart of everything is the bond the men have to help them get through one horrific situation after another. It is a surprisingly grueling viewing experience. The concluding set-piece appropriately tops off a film full of impressive action set-pieces.
Talking about a grueling viewing experience, I finally finished Masaki Kobayashi’s epic THE HUMAN CONDITION. Parts 5 and 6, released in 1961, have Koji and his military comrades undergoing an ordeal of survival as the Japanese crumble under a Soviet attack on Manchuria. Starvation, despair, and death stalk Japanese soldier and civilian alike as they attempt to flee to some kind of refuge. The trouble is that there is none to be found by August 1945. Getting through the nearly 10 hours of The Human Condition was not easy, but I am glad that I did. Kobayashi’s artistry makes it worthwhile.
Congratulations on making it through The Human Condition! I remember you saying it was on of your goals a few months ago. I think it's something I would appreciate, perhaps after I finally get around to War and Peace.
DeleteHowdy crew! thanks y'all for your weekend reviewage..i always appreciate it!!!
ReplyDeleteWe Were Soldiers (2002 DVD).
Incredibly immersive and well made movie about one of the first US active combat moments of the Vietnam war. It treats the subject seriously, and provides insights into not only the soldiers training and fighting but also aspects of the effects on their families as well as providing the point of view and perspective of the Vietnamese they fight. After establishing the core division and its respective families, the movie drops the viewer and said division into the jungle..surrounded on all sides..and stays with it for the last 2/3 of the movie. Its very violent and very chaotic and shows how dedicated the soldiers are too each other. Also, given the time its made, its filmed using almost entirely practical effects which comes across as incredibly realistic.